Final Fantasy IX - Magic of Technology
by Robi Tribal
Summary: This story follows a genome who embarks on a space journey back home, for what lies there will answers his many questions, regarding his past as well as his family. Will he return home to seek the answers, or will he be lost in the cosmos forever with no hope of finding home? It all begins from a desolate space station
1. Chapter I - I Awaken

**Chapter 1 - I Awaken**

My eyes were blurry but I could hear the sounds of twisted metal and the smell of burning. When I did wake up, I found myself in a cell. I looked around and there was apparently no escape. Then I noticed something odd about my clothes; I was wearing some sort of strange outfit, it was a black bodysuit and white and black-purple shorts and t-shirt, which had torn at some of the seams. Then a swish of yellow comes into my view, I reached round, grabbed it and pulled it into my view. I felt my hand gripping it, I found out that it was a tail; an extra appendage that I don't seem to recall finding use for.

Why am I wearing this outfit, why do I have a tail and where am I? Those are the three main questions that buzzed in my head when suddenly, a gas explosion tears my cell's door, off its hinges and slammed right in front of me. I looked out that escape has just opened up to me. No time to find out the answers, I seek, as I walked right out of the cell and into a corridor. I looked around again and I heard the sounds of stressed metal and groaning supports which only meant one thing: This place is falling apart, but where...?

I ran down this eeriely corridor. It was cold and dark, and walls of broken equipment ran down it as I bolted down to the end of the corridor where I peered out of a window. It was this window where I realised where I am as I peered towards this massive, orange and gold, planet with many stars dotting the cosmos beyond.

I also discovered that I was in space and saw the wreckage of a ruined space station; pieces are seen flapping off like fruit peels and even some floating away from the structure. This station is in bad shape and is decaying, I must flee this place before the life supports fail.

Then immediatly, I heard a metal BANG above me. I whirled round to figure out where the noise came.

"H-Hello? Who was that?" I shouted but was only answered by a sudden draught of cold air.

Then a grate fell, from a few inches from me, and out came a horrendous beast; It hissed at me as it reared up on its hind legs. For its appearance too awful to even describe, whatever it is, it surely wants to eat me as it charged at me.

Before even thinking, I lashed out; I felt my foot pushing into its cold, furry body as I launched it back from where it came from. I looked over to what seemed to be unconscious. Taking the chance, I ran for it aand s fast as I can until I found a door. I pressed the nearby button and it whizzed open before running through the door. Inside this new room, I looked inside as the door behind me closed.

It was this sight that gave me a breath of fresh air as it appeared to be some sort of armory; Weapon parts, magazines and missile bodies sit on the tables. I walked around this small room until I found one, that really caught my eye. I looked at it closely and it seems to be a strange peculiar gun. I picked it up, blew the dust of it, and I examined it closely. I then eyed some sort of inscription on the side of this firearm...

"DEW-12A Plasma Rifle"

I found a gun, a gun which could serve me as my defense but first I must test to see if it worked. I played around with it, trying to figure out how it works and strangely I realise how to use it properly. I pointed the thing to the floor and pulled the trigger...Nothing. I pulled it again and it still did nothing. Then the gun lit up faintly and a small screen projected at the base of its handle which showed an empty battery icon which flashed. Fuck, its empty but there must be some spare ammo for this gun.

I walked around the room, looking for spare magazines for this gun. I opened up some crates, only to find out that they were empty. Even the gun racks and the tables had no magazines, similar to the one I have in my hands. Guess I have to sneak around the monsters until I found a means of escape so I walked to the door and opened it and, to my surprise, the monster stood at the door and it roared at me as its piercing red eyes glazed into my own. With one punch to the face, I knocked it over and kicked it as it fell onto its back. I ran towards some large doors at the end of the corridor, I bashed them aside and slammed the doors behind me and used some of the nearby, discarded, debris to pin it.

I have lost the monster as I gasped and wheezed as I leaned onto the heavy doors, I felt my sweat dripping from my face. I have still haven't gotten grips on how to escape this hell, this high-tech nightmare. I stood there to catch my breath before I looked round and gasped in amazement. I walked down the walkway down onto the floor of this vast hangars, which expand over quite some distance.  
>I looked around as I made my way across; Strange constructions hung lifelessly from the ceiling as the floor was littered with all matters of clutter, strewn empty crates, trolleys and rusty chains. I shivered from the cold that lingered in these desolate open hangars and I kept my somewhat empty gun close to hand as I thought to myself...<p>

"Maybe there is a spare spaceship, I can use, and get myself out of here."

With that in mind, I quickened my walking pace, I ran through another large door into another hangar of the same state as the one before. I heard noises of activity in the ceilings which hinted to the signs of monsters who are probably getting into positions to strike me from an unsuspecting angle. I looked around panickly at the darkness that covered the corners and walkways of the hangars until I managed to come across a braced door.

Strange for a door to be locked in this state. I tried to barge into it but it only buckled and clanged as I hurt myself. I looked around for a potential tool and I found a sturdy metal pole. I swing at the brace, which was made of wood to be thankful and it cracked and buckled from the strikes. I then braced the pole as a battering ram and I slammed it, right in the center, of the door and it finally gave way as I charged through. I dropped the metal pole and looked up. To me it was the most reassuring sight I have ever seen.

Before me was a ship. A great, fucking, massive ship which sits in its cosy hangar. The state its in was a bit demoralising as it seems to be in a state of disrepair and it looked dead. I went back to shut the doors and pushed some restraints against it as I walked around the metal monster for a point of entry. I had no idea on these sort of ships but I spotted some sort of ramp leading up into the ship.

I then heard bangs from the door as signs of to-be-forced entry started making dents into the door. I instantly knew that the monsters were going to get me. I ran up into the ramp and sprinted to the bridge. The bridge looked big as most of the room was empty; Apart from the consoles, and controls by the windows, a single chair which sat in the center of the room. Behind it was a dusty table with a glass panel on top. I walked to the chair and sat on it. I pressed on a few buttons until the whole bridge starts to light up. The overhead lights started to buzz into life as the table behind me lit up too. Then I heard a voice coming from the walls...

"This is the Garnesian Empire Light Assault Frigate 2099, Captained by Cpt J Dean...Identify Yourself." It asked

Clearly I don't remember my name...

"This is your second request, please state your name." It added, with a bold tone.

"I uh...I uh...I don't know..." I stuttered out a feeble response.

"Huh, such a strange person to not know their name. What are you doing in this ship?" I realised it had a feminine tone in its voice.

"Uh-uh...I was looking around the space station, hoping to find a way to get out of here and I came across this, believing this could be my way out of here." I said to wherever the voice came from.

"...Right...well I will have to ask the captain..." The woman said. There was nothing but the quiet humming of computers and the crickling sounds of Hard Disk Drives.

"Apparently...th-th-this space station is nothing but strewn boxes and monsters...im the only one left here...i g-guess..." I said to her.

"Wait...YOU are the only one here and what monsters?" She asked.

I nodded quietly when I heard a sudden crash outside. I ran to the bridge's windows only to peer out and see many monsters pouring out into the hangars. I looked panickly at the AI.

"You gotta get us out of here...the monsters will kill me! Please."

"What is in it for me?" She asked.

"What?! I can't explain right now, all I'm thinking is a way to get off this space station. If we don't, I'll get eaten by some hungry monsters and then this place will eventually collapse. When we are in space, I will have thought up of a way to pay you back...

...Promise." I nervously said.

I could feel cold sweat running down my panicked body as it runs down my prisoner uniform where wet patches begin to form in my armpits. I also feel my heart racing to its limits as its rate went as fast as a M134 Minigun...well, a very fast machine a projection showed up on the table.  
>I walked up to the table and glanced at this woman, who seemed to be deep in thought. She was ablaze in a gently orange flame, she looked naked but dosen't appear to be clearly starkers as white squares ran along darkened pathways over her semi-transparent body. She even had her 'hairstyle' stylised in a short spiky mess which run down to her neck. She looks at me with her ruby red eyes.<p>

"Alright, deal.  
>Replace the exhausted thermo-nuclear cooling cylinders and that'll get the engines going. In case you do not know, they are large, glowing bright yellow and have nuclear symbols, on them, like this." The AI said, as she vanished and showed a slowly-spinning hologram of the warning symbol, in the same colour as her avatar.<p>

I nodded and left the bridge, to find the place where she asked me to go.


	2. Chapter 2 - To Escape this Grave

The ship was huge and expansive; With many corridors, and hallways, leading to various rooms, chambers and other important parts of the ship, including: A mess hall, private billard, crew's quarters, maintenance tunnels and even an armory.

I walked into this armory to find a vast empty hall of empty weapon holders: Most of the weapons have been taken from this armory, except some strange terminals that sit in the middle of the room. I walked up to it and it read.  
>"Plasma Recharger"<p>

I felt reassured by its name but I didn't know how to fit my Plasma Rifle to the recharger. I looked around for instructions but instead found some strange diagrams.  
>They were blue and showed various diagrams of parts related to the main item in question. Some were titled: Mi-24 Hind, RV-250 Rapid Assault Bike and even UAV-90 Spartan Hunter Drones.<p>

They all looked fascinating so I took them into my hand and walked back to the conspicuous terminal, I first tried fitting the rifle to its holdings, no luck there as it was too large and then I fiddled with the rifle, I tried pulling a few things of it, no much use but then I felt a faint click as I pull on the magazine part of the gun...it came loose.

I smiled in delight as I put the magazine into the holder of the charge station. It even showed a battery on its attached screen indicating that its charging. I looked around and I found a smaller, handgun-like, weapon. I picked it up and examined it when it energised. In sheer surprise, I dropped it and the gun fired a bright green energy bolt which ends up exploding into one of the walls.

I picked it up and I pointed around with it. It was definitely live when suddenly, I heard the AI's voice coming from the walls.  
>"Stranger, we got some hostiles aboard the ship and they seem to be heading for the armory. You alright in there? Cos whatever you find in there has gotta be your weapon now!"<p>

I hid behind a table as sounds of rapid movement loudened as they approach the door. I sat there in silence as I hear the door open. The monsters have entered the armory. I heard slobbering and quiet growling as I knew that I must not peek around the corner yet. Then I heard one coming up really up to my face and I prepared to shoot. I slowly peered round and I saw one of those hideous monsters who seemed to be sniffing under one of the tables. It stopped snarlind and whizzed round towards me and stared at me. It howled when I suddenly poked my gun round the corner and opened fire.

I saw the mighty energy bolts tear cleanly into its flesh as it howled in pain. Burn marks scorch its skin as the fur catches fire. It tried to flee but I shot it in the back as it backed off, finally killing it. Then the other monsters jumped in front of me and galloped for me. I fired more plasma at them, felling all but one which tackled me. I could feel its weight pinning me down as it opened its jaws and gnashed at me but my strength pushes its teeth away from my gritting face. I struggled as I pulled my gun between the struggle but it simply swiped it out of my hands.

I was on my own with this beast as I punched at the monster's face. I kept landing blows until I shoved it off. I reached for my handgun as it howled and moaned. As I struggled for it, I hear the monster righting itself and then it jumped onto my back. It went for the back of my neck when I suddenly whizzed round, pushed the gun into its mouth and pulled the trigger. The relieving sounds were heard as high-intense plasma ripped through its skull and tore a hole through its brain. The exit wound started to bleed as the monster's ravaging eyes dulled and it fell off, limb and dead. I got up and swept my clothes off the dirt and I caught back my breath. My first every kills...with a handgun.

I stumbled to the charge station, which showed a green glow. I weakly smiled as I pulled the magazine out of it and stuck it into the nearby rifle. The gun glows brightly as sounds of energy charging as the rifle's screen showed that there are 500 rounds in the battery. With my new guns, I put it over my back, using its shoulder strap, and strolled out the door. I turned to see the corridors empty but well lit and various computers glowing down them. I looked up to find signs pointing to various areas of interest.

I followed the signs which had 'Engine Room' and the arrows that point to it. The ship was vast and complex as I had to go down some stairs and through doors until I eventually arrived at a vast cylinder room. In the center was a large pillar which looks like the reactor. Around its immediate area was rings of walkways that also had more stretching to the outer perimeter of the room and there was sockets of some of them had white and silver pods, with the same biohazard symbols on them as what the AI showed me.

I looked around for some doors and by luck there is another at the other end of this reactor room. I walked over and into some sort of room. Inside was barrels, some explosive and some containing some sort of bio hazard material. Large pipes stretched along the ceiling of this dull room. I looked around again and found the same pods that were in the sockets back in the reactor room. I picked one up and walked back out. Then I proceeded towards one of the sockets and pushed it in, which was very hard as I struggled to push it in. When I did successfully fitted the pod, it clicked into place and I went back and forth between these rooms; Fitting pods into their respective pods. After the last pod has been fitted into its socket. I heard the reactor powering up as the room beginning to light up.

"Good job kid but if you don't wanna mutate and have three eyes, I would get out of there and run back to the bridge. What you did in the armory and how you managed to put all those pods, into the sockets, without mechanical aid, beggars belief" The AI spoke.

I then ran out of the reactor room, which had started to heat up rather quickly. I made my way to the bridge where the holo-graphic woman stood there at the holo table.

"Good job kiddo. You have really proved to me that you can be a resourceful captain." She said. Wait what? Captain?

I looked up in disbelief. "I looked in my captain's details and found out that he was KIA in helping defend this station from the alien invaders, which turned out to be the very ones that you found both on your way here AND in the armory.

As you are the only one alive in this station, and you're wanting to escape this station. By Article 12 of the Galactic Empire handbook. You are hereby titled Captain of this vessel. How you fly her is by your wishes by that I am at your command." She said.

Captain...me...I am in charge of this ship? Wow...I have never ever skipped on a ship like this.

"Alright...care to tell me who you are." I asked it.

It changed its pose to a concerned positioned as it looked at me.  
>"I am AI-405...or you can call me Phoenix. The former crew called me that since I look like a woman of fire..." She said.<p>

"Hmm, your figure reminds me of a prisoner." She said.

Prisoner...me? I don't recall being a prisoner on a dying station. The woman projected a small diagram of my face and some writing.

"Prisoner 004. Robi Tribal. Species: Unknown. Age: Around 16-19." The woman added.

"My name is Robi? Huh...It sounds rather familiar...well we better get going." and just as I said that, various sounds of break-ins ravage the outside of the ship. It was the many, many monsters that are now on top of us and is now looking for ways to get in and eat me.

"Phoenix. Get us out of here...now!" I ordered her.

The AI nodded and the air of the hangar is swiftly filled by sounds of the mighty engines powering up and it lit up from the glow of the thrusters.

"You might want to...hold onto something, Robi." Phoenix suggested and I ran to the chair, and sat on it, bracing tightly as the whole ship shakes. I see the hangar outside going down as the ship blasts through ,what now looked to be two huge doors, as it roared out through the falling vast passageways. Metal rods, girders and pipes started falling down and areas of exposed space showed the decaying condition of the station. After fifteen minutes of intense, tight turns and last minute manuvers through some tight gaps, the ship finally reaches open space.

I am free...I looked out onto nothing but empty space. I sat back and relaxed...I deserved to be out of that station.


End file.
